Playing card dealing device



Jan. 19, 1954 n FQ CICERO 2,666,646

PLAYING CARD DEALING DEVICE V Filed March 29, 1951 INVENT OR FI@ umATTORNEY Patented Jan. 19, 1954 v i UNITED; :STATES PATENT OFFICE l2,666,646 l .Y PLAYmc. CARD DEALING DEVICE Frank Cicero, Los Angeles,Calif. f Y Application March 29, 1951, Serial No. 218,153

My inve'ntion relates to card dealingdevices particularly rfor playingcards. It is a general object of my invention to provide an inexpensivedevice, the construction of which would be both useful equipment and aninteresting novelty of considerable simplicity and sturdiness, ofoutstanding attraction and of desirable performance. This smartlydesigned device, light in weight, can be held completely under the handwhile resting the wrist on the table. It actually takes only one hand todeal the cards with it. By easily pressing down with the finger aprotruding wide knob on the cover and letting it up, the device willinfallibly shoot outthe top'card of a pack resting on the bottom and, byrepeating the action,1

will eject singularly each card to the last one without any .physicalharm being done to them. It operates rapidly, noiselessly, and withoutfatigue crhardship to the operator. It ejects with `precision even tothe far end of large tables and `moreover makes it hard on the playerwho likesto pull tricks.

It is to be noted that particular attention has been devoted inobtaining a plan lfor a construction of moldable materials such as ofcolorful and transparent keratin or other similar plastic or alloy asfaras the box, the cover and the knob is concerned; however it iswithinthe intent of this inventionto use metal, wood and other material, ifdesired.

The present device consists of a small box or receptacle of a rmmaterial with four upright sides and a bottom and has a hinged-on coverwhich iscornprised also of four sides and of a suitably shaped top, saidcover being locked to the box when in closed position. An enclosure ofupright vwalls is within the box to form a card t magazine to hold inplace the pack of cards which restsrhorizontally on the bottom; however,it will be seen that said enclosure is not a necessary ceilinggby ribsand means tl'iereforan'dv it has a' transverse pin 'at one end to' rideA6r slideA yalong r9 claims. (c1. 27s- 149) 10 element ofthe'constructicn and actually it providesla larger space for theinstallation of an.

'litiA the interior edges or tracks of a gashed quad rangular tunnel ofa form similar to an up-sidedown and inverted Y in the operating knob toe transmit the latters downward'and upward motion into forward Aandbackward motion of the connection blade to swing by recoil acard-ejecting hammer which is supported by other ribs and means at theopposite end.

Detailed description Fig. 1 is the left side-.elevation of the device,its front and back being respectively located at the left and at theright; w

Fig. 2 is its plan View, with the ypack of cards omitted though showinga card partly ejected;

Fig. 3 is a section of'view taken on line III-III of Fig. 2 the coverand pillars not being shown;

Fig. 4 is a section of view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 3 and shows theknob centrally sectioned and, more clearly, where-at the connectionblade is `activated because of the track formed by the gashed tunnel inthe knob and because it is aided by a specially formed at spring thereonproperly assembled;

Fig. v5 is a section of view taken on line V-V of Fig. 3 and showscomplete inthe knob a preferred valve-lever assemblage, which is notshown fully in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 shows the specially formed at spring in a full view. n

Referring to the numbers on the drawings: I is the box orcard-receptacle; 2 is the cover; 3 is the hinge; 4 are spring metallocks carried by the box vand adaptable to be hooked on incisions at thecover; 5 are the walls extending up at a rightangle to the sides of thebox where-within the pack of cards 6 is enclosed and rests on thebottom; lis a card shown as it is being ejected through an exit 8 on thefront of the box; 9 is the hand-operated knobv provided with the gashedtunnel or groove of inverted Y shape in cross section; I 0 are theU-shaped pillars that support and guide the knob and are preferablymolded in one piece with the cover; II are the coil extension springsplaced within the knob, one at each end thereof, held up bymetal caps I2resting on ytop of the pillars and secured to the knob at the lower endin order to normally force the knob upwardly; I 3 are the obliqueelastic suction cups carried by the knob to pick up-quickly the top cardandcurve it at the same time in order to prevent the latter-.fromsucking up the next one or next one below, by.eiectively-eliminating-the air drag which would otherwise impede thequick' uplift of a single card:

I4 is the connecting metal blade or a connection means held to a stabiledegree and guided by supporting means carried by the cover andconsisting of two sets of walls or ribs I5, extended parallel downwardlyfrom the ceiling, and of pins or struts crossing through said ribs. Theblade IIIL has elongated apertures whereby it rests on said pins orstruts in order to be free flor forward and backward motion; I6 is ashort pin solidly extending through and at;y arightfangle td the-bladeWand-1. it may be; cappedwith a rolling stock, or capsto-v lessen thefriction with the tracks of the knob and with the specially formed flatspring I'I se?. cured centrally within an enlarge; I,1 e 1 ii; ,Qfn.the,

lower portion of the tunnel formed in the knob?y I8 is a compressioncoil spring, whichirnpagstsfaire;v recoil to the blade I4 and itsurrounds thedblavde` i4 in between the ribs I5 and Ais-securedem watits back end, to force I4 toward the baoldatkallg times. It should benoted that the extension springs i2 must have aiy combined nullpowersuperiior to. the one of: the, compression'. springA lag in4 orderIto efieoit the automatic uplift of the knob, Qrice thishas been. presseddown,.- withy the' fingers. When theknob-setspressedi down, the frontend f the, blade-1.4;.becauseofjthe nin-I5.. will Y seemingly follow-,-un ,the lower. slant portion or leg ofthe groove or tunhelgintheicenter,oithd knob; then the pin IB pushes the blade spring Il forward andputer-:its-wamasishown in Fig. 4, and continues upwardlyvuntil a cardhas been picked upvandv then; once the pressure ori-the knob is let` go,it will-'f'ollofr automatically the tracks or edges of the tunnel :backdownwardly; this time, however, thepinyIE-'will-V rollover the edgesof'- thevspringfil'; which serves'as a bridge over the junctionofthetracks, and down until it is free toY snap bacle. Inthismannertheback endof the blade iwilli-,activatet-he- Cardi-ejecteinghammeror bladememberl I5" which shouldl have a rubber-'tipwhere-it: hits the; card;The

hammer- I 91-is freely suspended, intermediate y its ends,A byalcrossing rod; or'strutZU; whielrisjheld'f in place by-f supportingwalls-'orribs2j` opi-'the cover 2, and it is convenientlyconnectedvtot'he blade iik-bye.v couple off pins 221,V secured on theblade similarly-to- I Sfthat'- willl push` Yforth; and,A backtheupperportion-toi the hammer-- since; this g is preferably made of sheetmetalancihasjanarrow Uf-like Slot; whereethrougn thebladey L4 travels.23 arevsmall tubes flared at*bothendsv to hold -in :place-the` suction icupsagainst-the` knob andalso -serve as air-passage'into thefcups when`these are automatically unplugged 4atfthe'proper.' time bylevers'Zl,1that-fis when-the latters ,turned up ends or lips will lhitjtheceilingofrthe cover, in the operation.` Theharedljtubes 2 3-` may be.substituted --by` similar means vof ythe removable;

type if made in--two pieces or; as-it' is apparent;if;`

molded as single unitswith the` suctionjcups, I3:

The part of the-levers that restsjon` tubes 2j3".

should be lined with rubber orgrnaohihedgsoias .to be air-tight.25-are-propsl or fulcrumsV secured vertically` onbthe knobbeneaththelevers ,atavv right angle thereto and preferablymade of pieces.f

ofI sheet metal-cia width larger thangtheleversh and eachghavetheAupper/endreducedin width to form ra shoulder;saidfredueedjend of theAful:v

crums sticks throughfan-- kaperture provid-Qd; on; the levers whichrestonsaidjshoulders duringthe operation.l f 26 are flat-springs having.one` end placed longitudinally over theV leverswtoforce, 23; whileat`the -o.ther.,v

them down onthe;ltu 'sw A they are-welded-tome oi ,saidreducediendsofmay be secured otherwise to the knob. For the assemblage relative to thelevers a hole or cutout has been provided on the knob, as shown.

2'I are four angular blades fastened as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 tofour of the walls 5 and have a short and very :Iiexible tip extendedhorizontallyy preferably for a little length over the pack of cards. Thecard being brought up curved by the oblique suction cups may passthrough said foilr.tips-either--freely orbyibrushingthem away,denendentmn how-'much= saidfl'exible tips extend over the pack of cards.Once the card is released by the suction cups and resumes the flatshape, itmay drop and slide upon the four flexible tips whilesimultaneously being ejected out through thecard-exit 8 by the promptblow of the, ejemV nghammer I9. A light flat spring 28 fastenedl insideonf-the front of the cover also guides. and aides the ejection of saidcard by speeding up the return to its flat shape. Another springVysimilar to 28 mayv be fastened on the ceilingnthereabout' to lightlypress downupon the. backportion of the card being elevated. The two rearflexible blades'rshould be placed higher thanl the twok in front; thecard-,exit should be below the horizontal' level ofthe suction cups inunoperatedj position so that the card is ejected inaplaneangular. to thesurface ofthe table and willhit it,.very quickly, thus performing asatis.- fa-tlOrY ejection;

Whil'el have hereinv shown my card dealing4 device as embodied" in apreferred'v form of constructioinby way of. exampleitwillbe apparentthatfurther alterationsor modications and furfther. adjustmentshandadditions might be made in theA construction without departingy from thespirity of' the invention. Consequently, without limiting,r myself in,thisrespect Il'claim as my invention:

1i. A. card; dealingt device including: a receptacler adaptable-.asacard magazine; a ,cover op.- erative to be firmly locked on saidreceptacle. and to vpermitaccess intothe same; an operating mechanismoperative topi'ckup. and eject each` top cardfrom. apackrestinghorizontally. in. the magazine;,means ,onand depending within thecover-,housing andsupporting said mechanism; meanssupported on .thecover, andverticall'y operative toiactivate said mechanism,said meansoperative to activate said' operatingmechanism includingptwo VU.-shapedguide members extending* vertically, through said cover;, knobmeans, slidable between` andA within the guide` membersV andop'erativeinl ,one direction; spring means operativeto return saidjknob meanstoits original positiQlLtlaCk meansonsaid knob means4 formed by` a"grooved portion `of inverted Y shape Ain crossse'ctiorl, .and saidoperating mechanism including: a connection means carriedbya portionof`v saidsupporting means of the cover andadaptable to. be kengaged atVthe frontA end Afor forward and 'backwardfmotion by saidltrackhmeans;and alcaifd ejection means carried by Vanother portionofgsaidsupportingmans of .the cover and engageable g by' the: back endof saidY connection means.

`2j.l A deviceas de lned'inclaiml and including: anV enlargementlosaidinverted Y-shaped groove adjacentthe lower vpart (and, the point. atwhich the legs lof saidinvertedNfshaped groove intertrack means.; and,atransverse,pinmeanscarried,

by' said connection meansand engaseable .by the tract;I neans` andvalterna telypy4 thepecial blade spring, said track means and bladespring and transverse pin means being adaptable to transmit the downwardand upward travel of the knob into a forward and backward activation ofthe connection means.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 in which said back end of theconnection means includes: stud means carried by the connection meanswhereby ythe latters forward and backward motion causes activation ofthe card ejection means.

4. A device as defined in claim 1 in which the connection meansincludes: elongated apertures whereby said connection means is carriedby the aforesaid portion of the support means of the cover; and pinmeans carried by said support means transversely through the elongatedapertures of the connection means, said apertures and pin meanspermitting forward and backward travel of the connection means.

5. A device as defined in claim 4 in which said card ejection meanscomprises: a blade member pivoted intermediate its ends by the aid of apor- -tion of the supporting means of the cover; a slot on one end ofthe blade member where-through said back end of the connection means isinserted; and a pair of transverse pins carried by said connection meanson opposite sides ofthe blade whereby the connection means and the cardejection means are operatively connected together.

6. A device as defined in claim 4 andV including: a spring meansdisposed in between said aforesaid portion of the supporting means,surrounding a portion of said connection means intermediate its ends andhaving the backend secured to the connection means, the forward motionof the latter causing compression of the spring means and the lattersrecoil pushing backwardly the connection means, this in turn causing theejection means to strike the sucked Yup card, said recoil and strikebeing effected when said front end of the connection means is releasedby the bottom of the front end of said groove.

7. A card dealing device including: a receptacle adaptable as a cardmagazine; a cover operative to be firmly locked on said receptacle andto permit access into the same; an operating mechanism operative to pickup and eject each top card from a pack resting horizontally in themagazine; means on the cover housing and supporting said mechanism;means supported on the cover and vertically operative to activate saidmechanism; said operating mechanism including: a knob means; a. set ofresilient suction cups carried by the knob means and having the basesthereof oblique in relation to the plane of a pack of cards resting inthe receptacle, said cups being adaptable to pick up by compression onlythe top card of the pack without the latter sucking up the next one ornext ones below; air inlet means for said oblique suction cups; andautomatic control means for the air inlet means whereby the sucked upcard is releasable.

8. A device as defined in claim 7 in which said air control meansincludes: a lever normally closing the air inlet means; a turned up lipat one end of said lever operative to open automatically the air inletmeans in the operation; a fulcrum for said lever and supporting thesame; and spring means normally forcing the lever closed on the airinlet means, the fulcrum being secured to the knob means, the leverhaving an aperture wherethrough projects a reduced end of the fulcrum,the aforesaid spring means being connected to said end of the fulcrum.

9. A device as defined in claim where said operating mechanism furtherincludes: means operative by spring reaction and adaptable to strike thesucked up card; an apertureon the receptacle where-through the card maybe ejected, the aperture being located below the horizontal level of thebases of the suction cups; spring means depending from the cover andadaptable to press down on said sucked up card; and slide means securedin the receptacle in a slant plane and whereupon the card may drop andslide, the slant slide means, the location of the aperture and therelative spring reactions being adaptable to effect a substantialejection of the cards.

FRANK CICERO.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,366,264 Kolomyjec 1 Jan. 18, 1921 2,533,932 Hayek Dec. 12,1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 450,242 France Jan. 14, 1913535,222 Germany Oct. 8, 1931

